Short answer
Among Audi A6 model years through 2024, 2023 and 2024 have the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (1) and 2021 has the most (12). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Audi A6: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 27 (2000–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 45
- Fewest recalls
- 2023 and 2024 (1)
- Most recalls
- 2021 (12)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (39)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2014, 2015, 2016 and 8 more years
Audi A6 Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 3 | 5 stars | Seat belts, Back over prevention |
| 2024 | 1 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2023 | 1 | Not rated | Back over prevention |
| 2022 | 5 | Not rated | Electrical system, Back over prevention, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2021 | 12 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Air bags, Back over prevention |
| 2020 | 9 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Air bags, Back over prevention |
| 2019 | 7 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Air bags, Back over prevention |
| 2018 | 2 | 5 stars | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2017 | 3 | 5 stars | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline, Seat belts |
| 2016 | 3 | 5 stars | Air bags, Electrical system, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2015 | 4 | 5 stars | Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Electrical system |
| 2014 | 4 | 5 stars | Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2013 | 6 | Not rated | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2012 | 8 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2011 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2010 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2009 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2008 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Structure |
| 2007 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Structure |
| 2006 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Structure |
| 2005 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2004 | 4 | Not rated | Electrical system, Fuel system, gasoline, Fuel system, other |
| 2003 | 7 | Not rated | Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, Air bags |
| 2002 | 4 | Not rated | Electrical system, Fuel system, gasoline, Fuel system, other |
| 2001 | 7 | Not rated | Electrical system, Fuel system, gasoline, Fuel system, other |
| 2000 | 4 | Not rated | Electrical system, Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20261 recall
- 20253 recalls
- 20241 recall
- 20231 recall
- 20225 recalls
- 202112 recalls
- 20209 recalls
- 20197 recalls
- 20182 recalls
- 20173 recalls
- 20163 recalls
- 20154 recalls
- 20144 recalls
- 20136 recalls
- 20128 recalls
- 20113 recalls
- 20103 recalls
- 20094 recalls
- 20084 recalls
- 20074 recalls
- 20064 recalls
- 20053 recalls
- 20044 recalls
- 20037 recalls
- 20024 recalls
- 20017 recalls
- 20004 recalls
Audi A6: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Audi A6 recalls are air bags (39), electrical system (23), fuel system, gasoline (17), back over prevention (9) and engine and engine cooling (9). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 11 of these 27 model years, and 2014, 2015, 2016 and 8 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Audi A6 Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Audi A6?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2023 and 2024 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 1 each.
Which Audi A6 model years have the most recalls?
2021 has the most, with 12 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "A6", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy